


What Happened to Donnie

by Brittany_Hamato



Series: Mutants Get Their Rghts [3]
Category: TMNT (2003)
Genre: Depression, Gen, I am so sorry Donnie, Leatherhead is a vet, M/M, Medical healing, Splinter's unsure, Suicide Attempt, Tumor, after the mutant movement
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-11-01 04:48:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10914648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brittany_Hamato/pseuds/Brittany_Hamato
Summary: Raph is sick of Donnie being in his lab all the time. When he picks the lock he walks into a blood-soaked lab and sees a scared, depressed, and confused Donatello huddled in the floor.  Leatherhead is called and the ordeal takes it's toll on him and the family.Donnie is diagnosed with cancer and he feels he has to go through the struggle alone, when in reality, he has his family behind him.





	1. Blood and horror

“Where is Don?” Raph asked as he walked into the kitchen. “Lab, but leave him alone. He is busy.” Leo said as Raph walked toward the lab. “Or not.” Leo didn’t look up from his book.

 

“Don!” Raph yelled and tried to open the lab door, it was locked. He growled as he pulled the bobby pin he kept in his belt for such occasion. He made quick work of the lock and walked in. The lights were off, but the room was filled with the scent of wet copper.

 

Raph flipped the lights and red filled his vision. The med cots were soaked through with blood. There were puddles and drip trails. “Donnie?” He yelled into the room, praying Don had some life test some subject that was bleeding not Don himself.

 

He heard a groan from the far side of the room. “Go away, Raph, and turn the lights back off.” Donatello’s weak voice came from behind his desk. Raph walked to the voice. He saw his younger brother huddled against the wall and the leg of the desk.  His arms, legs, ankles, and wrists were all covered in deep cuts, he was bleeding freely.

 

Raph quickly acted, grabbing the rag off the desk he planned to stop some of the bleeding. Donnie pushed him away. “Don’t touch me!” He yelled and Raph backed up off of him. “Just leave!” He yelled and kicked in Raph’s direction. “Fine!” Raph yelled back. He turned and left the room.

 

He walked straight to the dojo where he knew he father would be at this time. “Splinter.” He said as he roughly opened and shut the door, Splinter looked up at him, ready to scold him for slamming the door. “Donnie is-” Splinter cut him off. “Busy, I saw him fix the toaster again this morning.” Raph stopped cold. “You saw him this morning?” Raph was shocked.

 

“Yes, he fixed the toaster and had a cup of coffee. Why?” Raph couldn’t believe Donnie has done that to himself within the last few hours. “Why?” Splinter said again, bringing Raphael from his thoughts. “He… he’s been cutting himself since then. The lab is soaked in blood and he pushed me away when I found him huddled behind his desk.” Raph reported and Splinter was already out the door before he could finish. “Call Leatherhead.” He said as he walked to the lab.

 

Raph took out his phone and called the doctor at work. “Hello, this is Leatherhead’s phone. Arora speaking.” A woman’s voice answered and Raph rolled his eyes. “I need to talk to Leatherhead, tell him it’s Donnie.” He said and he heard the woman talk off the phone. “You are not Donatello.” He said and Raph rolled his eyes.

 

“No, I ain’t, but this is about him.” He said and Leatherhead waited for him to continue. “You need to come home, Donnie is hurt.” Raph didn’t want to tell him it was self-induced until he got home. “I am on my way. Is he alright?” Leatherhead sounded panicked. “I don’t know, you’re the doctor.”

 

Splinter walked into the lab. He saw the blood soaking through the fabric of the cots, where it puddled on the concrete floor, and where the trails led to behind the desk.

 

“Donatello?” He asked into the room as if he saw none of it. “Go away! Raph wasn’t supposed to tell you!” Came the pained voice from behind the desk.

 

“Donatello, are you alright?” Splinter asked, keeping his voice level and unassuming. “I’m fine, go away!” Splinter could hear the tears in his voice. “Donatello, where did the blood come from?” He needed to hear his son confirm the suspicion. “Nothing.” He said, and Splinter shook his head and walked to the desk his son was hiding behind.

 

When he saw his son his stomach turned. He saw deep, angry cuts heavily littering the boy’s skin wherever he could reach. Splinter saw deep scratches in his plastron and in the rim of his shell.

 

Donatello was curled up on himself, covering as much as his body as he could with his limbs. His knees were pulled up to his chest and his head tucked with them, his arms wrapped around his legs. “Donatello, what has happened?” He asked, keeping any anger out of his voice.

 

“Nothing, go away.” He said, pulling himself tighter. “Did you do this to yourself?” Splinter asked, brushing his hand gently against the turtle’s skin.

 

Donnie tool in a sharp breath as he pulled away from the hand. “No…” he groaned, tears pooled in his eyes. Splinter pulled his hand away and Donnie relaxed. “Hurts…” the turtle moaned and Splinter nodded his head. “I should think so, Donatello, you are still bleeding. Here.” Splinter took the clean rag off the desk and took his son’s hand in his own.

 

“No, please, no…” Donnie tried to pull away but Splinter wouldn’t let him. Splinter dabbed and cleaned the wounds as best he could with the one rag. “Raphael called Leatherhead and-” Donnie sat up quickly, his eyes wide. “Why would you call Leatherhead?!” He pushed Splinter back. “He is working! He should be left alone.” Donnie was starting to panic. Splinter took his hand and tried to help him relax. “It’s okay, it’s alright, Donatello. Leatherhead didn’t mind coming to see you. He said me missed you anyway. We didn’t tell him what happened.” He falsely promised, he had no idea what Raphael had said to Leatherhead, but Donatello needed to hear comfort.

 

“Leatherhead was at work, he’ll be angry.” Donatello was losing the battle to the pain and exhaustion, he has been awake since three o’clock this morning.

 

Splinter wondered why Donatello would say something like at. “Why would Leatherhead be angry?” He asked and Donatello shook his head. “No!” He said and curled tight on himself and slowly rocked back and forth.


	2. Calling All The Doctors

Leatherhead walked through the front door into the lair. “Where is Donatello?” He asked the brothers sitting at the table. Raphael had filled them in.

 

“Lab, Splinter is in there with him.” Raph gestured that way and Leatherhead was quick to make his way to the lab. Splinter had very little medical knowledge, but he was more than capable of keeping someone calm.

 

Leatherhead walked in and he was overwhelmed with the scent and sight of blood. “Donatello? Splinter?” Leatherhead called quietly into the room, seeing nothing but blood.

 

“Behind the desk.” Splinter said back and Leatherhead quickly moved to the voice. Splinter stood and walked out of the way. Leatherhead saw the love of his life sitting in the floor bleeding.

 

Splinter tapped his arm and gestured for him to follow, he wanted to get to Donatello safe and comfortable, but he knew better than to argue with Splinter. The wide rat stopped at the door and hit Leatherhead in the hip, making him lean forward and Splinter started whispering. “I told him you didn’t know about anything. He is obviously doing this to himself, but he doesn’t seem to know why he did it as if this is common.” With that Splinter left the room, leaving Leatherhead to care for his beloved.

 

Leatherhead moved silently to his mate. “Donatello?” He got clean cloths and bandages from the cabinet as he walked by.

 

Leatherhead made easy work of Donatello’s wounds. Leatherhead kept his head down as he worked, trying not to look at the tears streaming down Don’s face. “I’m sorry.” He said and Leatherhead looked up, “For what, my love?” Donnie was trembling. “They called you at work, they shouldn’t have. I am fine.”   Donnie persisted, tears still streamed his face. “You are not fine.”  Leatherhead was certain Donatello was losing his mind.

 

“I am; they are making a big deal out of nothing.” He said and Leatherhead looked at him with a raised eye ridge. “Can you not see all the blood you are losing?” Leatherhead asked before he could stop himself.  “It’s not that much blood, it looks worse than it is.” Donnie said, and Leatherhead didn’t answer.

 

When Leatherhead got the wounds bandaged he checked Donatello’s vitals. He lost a lot of blood, he should really have gone unconscious by now. Leatherhead was sure he would soon, and was ready for it, but Donatello seemed to be decently stable.

 

“Come on.” Leatherhead said and took Don’s hand and led him to the clean cot against the far wall of the lab. “Why did you do this to yourself?” He asked and Donnie shrugged. “I don’t know.” He said like a child that was caught.

 

“Donatello, why are you being difficult?” Leatherhead asked and Donnie shook his head. “I’m not. You are… the… difficult… one…” Don’s eyes rolled back into his head and he fell forward.

 

Leatherhead caught him and laid him on the cot. He quickly checked the turtle’s vitals. The loss of blood was getting to him

 

Leatherhead got up and walked to the door. Raphael and the others were sitting at the table. “Raphael, can you come in here a minute?” Leatherhead tried to keep his voice even. “Sure…” Raph stood and followed the gator into the blood-soaked lab.

 

The sight made his skin crawl. Raph saw Leatherhead get a needle from the cabinet. “Donatello has lost a lot of blood and you are the only one with the same blood type. Sit.” Leatherhead pointed to a chair and Raph sat. He wasn’t used to Leatherhead being so hard.

 

Leatherhead drew blood and Raph didn’t watch. He saw his brother unconscious on the cot.

 

“Stay.” Leatherhead said as he walked away, Raph watched as the gator connected a tube to the bag of blood and pushed the attached needle to Don’s arm.

 

Leatherhead walked back to Raphael and took the elastic band off the turtle’s arm. “What is wrong with him?” Raph asked as Leatherhead moved back to his brother. “He should be fine, but he is going to be weak for a while.” Leatherhead said but didn’t look in his direction. “Why did he do it?” Raph figured if anyone was going to be suicidal it would be him, never Donnie. But maybe that us why he did it.

 

“I don’t know why he did it, Donatello isn’t in his right mind due to the loss of blood. When he wakes he should be in more sound mind.” Leatherhead said as he tended to his mate.

 

“Can I go?” Raph did not want to be in here anymore. “Yes, you need to drink plenty of water to keep up your strength. Don’t eat anything yet, I may need you again.” Leatherhead said and Raph nodded.

 

He walked out of the lab and his stomach turned violently at the thought of his brother hurting himself.

 

He got a bottle of water out of the fridge and sat back down at the table next to his mate. “How is Donnie?” Leo asked and Raph shrugged. “He has lost a lot of blood, but he is out cold now.” Mikey said down, “How is Leatherhead?”

 

 

“He is freaked out. You know he is, he missed my vein the first time.” Raph said and rubbed his arm. “Leatherhead missed?” Leo asked and Raph nodded.

 

 

Leatherhead was trying to keep Donnie comfortable, but his body wouldn’t relax. Something wasn’t right. Donnie wasn’t acting like Donnie and today wasn’t the first day.

 

Two days ago Donnie spoke of hearing someone calling his name, and seeing small things that weren’t there. At the time they thought nothing of it, but maybe those hallucinations have some connection to the cutting.

 

Leatherhead got out his phone and called his favorite assistant, Arora. “Hello?” she asked, she wondered why he was calling the office after he took off work unexpectedly. “Hey, I need a favor.” He started and she waited. “Donatello needs tests run, but I want to be discreet. I need a room set up and the MRI scanner free.” He said and she wrote down what he said.

 

“I can do that. What time will you be here?” She asked and he smiled, she is great. “I’m headed that way now, about twenty minutes or so.” He said and she smiled. “I’ll have everything ready. Is Donnie alright?” She was genuinely concerned for the doctor’s boyfriend. Donnie comes in sometimes when he is meeting Leatherhead, she liked him. He was always so nice.

 

“I don’t know, I will after tests.” He said and she repeated that she would be ready. “Thanks.” He said as he hung up.

 

 


	3. My Brain Is My Best Feature

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Big chapter, don't skip it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the really long chapter, but this one is important

Leatherhead checked Don’s vitals again. “Donatello, come on, wake up.” Donnie groaned and Leatherhead was excited to finally have some response. Donnie opened his eyes and the gator was quickly at his side with his hand around the turtle’s. “Leatherhead?” Donnie asked confused, didn’t he work today?

 

“Yes, my love. How are you feeling?” He asked and Don winced. “Umm, I don’t know. Why are you here?” He mumbled, Leatherhead checked his eyes for any signs of concussion.

 

Donnie shifted and took a sharp breath in. He lay back and closed his eyes. “What happened?” He asked when he could breathe. “You really don’t remember what happened?” Leatherhead couldn’t imagine cutting himself this bad and not remembering it.

 

Donnie looked around and saw the blood. “What they hell happened to my lab?” He asked, he couldn’t believe it, his semi-clean lab was completely trashed…. Was that blood?

 

“This is going to take so much bleach to get that out of the floor.” He said and Leatherhead smiled, this was the Donatello he fell in love with.

 

“I will help you clean the floor, and everything else, when you are recovered.” He said and Donnie glanced down at his legs and arms. “Donatello, I called Arora, I think we should run a few tests to be sure you are alright. Something is definitely wrong.” Leatherhead took his hands and Donnie nodded. “If I did this,” He gestured to his body, “without remembering, I may need to be checked out.” And winced when he tried to move.

 

“Stay here, don’t move. You are alright.” Leatherhead was gentle as he picked up the injured turtle. Donnie hated being carried, but he didn’t want to move.

 

Leatherhead got them out to the garage and Leatherhead set Donatello in the passenger seat of his truck. “I am going to tell your father we are leaving; I will be back. Do you need anything from inside?” Donnie shook his head and Leatherhead gave him the key to the truck so he would turn on the radio.

 

Leatherhead walked back inside and told the family what was happening. When Leatherhead got back to the truck Donnie had it started with the heater on, it was June.

 

Leatherhead got in and Donnie moved to turn it off. “Donatello, if you are cold then leave it on.” Leatherhead said and Donnie left it on. “If you get hot you can turn it off.” Donnie said and Leatherhead nodded.

 

They drove in silence to the office where Leatherhead worked. Donnie refused to be carried again, but Leatherhead helped him in the back door of the office where no one would see.

 

Arora was waiting in the hall. “Hey, you two, room 406.” She said and walked in that direction. Donnie liked Arora, she was always so nice.

Arora opened the door and Donnie nodded to her as he passed, she stopped Leatherhead. “I’ll be in the scan room getting the MRI ready, take your time. No rush.” She said and left with a comforting smile. Leatherhead nodded and walked into the room.

 

Donnie sat in a chair, he looked uneasy. “Donatello, are you alright?” Leatherhead asked and sat on the stool, he rolled it to the turtle’s side and took his hand. “Yeah, just tired.” He said and Leatherhead assumed it was from the blood loss (and the lack of sleep Donatello was becoming accustomed to.)

 

Leatherhead straightened Don’s arm and looked at the cuts there, Donnie looked away.

 

Leatherhead had stitched a few of the deeper wounds, but most of them seemed to be shallow and long.

 

He rolled back to look at Don’s legs, all the deeper cuts were in his inner thighs and behind his ankles.

 

“I heard her say something about an MRI. Why would you do that when all my cuts are external?” Donnie asked. Leatherhead seemed to be avoiding the question. “How are you feeling?” He asked instead and Donnie shrugged. “I’m tired, I said that already. Answer the question.” Donnie pushed against Leatherhead’s hands.

 

“I am doing an MRI to be sure there is no internal damage. Donatello, you can’t remember doing this,” Leatherhead gestured to Don’s body, “to yourself then how can we be sure there is nothing internal.” Leatherhead finished and Donnie didn’t look him in the eye. “K.” He said and Leatherhead felt bad for upsetting his mate.

 

Leatherhead stood and guided Donnie to the scanner. Arora was working at the controls when they walked in.

 

“Hey, give me just a minute to get things going.” She said and Leatherhead instructed for Don to remove his pads and mask. Leatherhead helped him up onto the table and into the desired position. Arora prepared the machine and Leatherhead sat with Donatello. “Don’t be angry with me.” He said and Don looked at him questioningly. “Why would I be angry?” Don sounded pissed off. “You seem angry.” Leatherhead said and took Don’s hand in his own.

 

“I am not mad. I have told you three times now that I am exhausted.” He said and Leatherhead nodded. He wasn’t going to push Don any further. “Are you ready?” He asked when Arora gave him a thumbs up. “Yeah.” Don said and lay back, closing his eyes.

 

Leatherhead nodded to Arora and moved to stand with her. He sat in the office chair next to her as the scan started. Leatherhead turned the mic inside the scanner on. “Donatello, if you need anything at any time all you have to do is say so. I can hear you though the mic system.” Leatherhead said and Donnie hummed his acknowledgement.

 

Leatherhead turned off the mic and turned to see Arora staring at him. “What?” He asked and she smiled as she turned away to look at the scan in front of her. “What?” He asked again and she giggled, “Nothing.” She said and he didn’t get her to say anything else.

 

“What is that?” She pointed to a white spot on the scan as it came into view. “I don’t know.” Leatherhead looked at it in the infrared, it was cold compared to the rest of the brain around it. “Tumor?” She asked, it made since. With Donatello’s personality changes and sudden depression, mood swings, and hallucinations.

 

“Could be.” He said and watched as the scan took shape.

 

Almost an hour later Donatello was released from the scanner, when he came out he was asleep. Leatherhead was gentle as he woke his mate. Donnie awoke with a groan and looked to Leatherhead.

 

“Well?” He asked as he was assisted from the table. “We are not sure yet. I think it best you stay here until we figure it out.” Leatherhead informed and Donnie loomed shocked. “Did you see something on the scan?” Don asked more stern.

 

Leatherhead took the turtles hand in his own. “There is a tumor in your brain. We are not sure what it is or if it is cancer or not.” Donnie pulled his hand away from his mate’s. “I could have cancer?” he couldn't believe he could have cancer.

 

“I don't know what it is, Donatello, we've seen one scan. Let me run a few tests and we will go from there.” Leatherhead wanted to comfort his mate.

 

“I have a tumor, regardless if it is cancer. A tumor in my brain. My brain is my best feature.” Donnie thought he would cry.

 

Leatherhead took his hand again. “Donatello, your brain is not your _best_ feature, it is _one of_ your best. You are intelligent, kind, and very easy on the eyes.” Leatherhead smiled and kissed his mate.

 

Donnie smiled. “Ok.” was all he said, Leatherhead heard the silent tears in that one word.


	4. Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Donnie wants to be left alone

Donnie was getting really fed up with Leatherhead touching him, though he didn't say anything.

 

They were sitting in the room from before and Leatherhead was insistent on looking at his wounds again. So after forever of being touched and poked, Donnie was finally left alone. Leatherhead didn’t leave, of course, he just moved to the other side of the room to get something before he was back.

 

Donnie was unsure why Leatherhead’s presence was becoming bothersome, he loved the gator, but Don really wished he would just leave.

 

“Donatello, are you alright?” Leatherhead saw the glass look to his eyes. “Peachy.” Donnie groaned and pulled his abused legs up to his chest, resting his feet on the edge of the bed. “Can we take a break or something?” He asked and Leatherhead nodded immediately. “Yeah.”

 

Leatherhead didn't leave, Don wanted him to so bad, but he didn't. Leatherhead sat on his stool, still on the other side of the room, writing in his notebook. Leatherhead’s phone rang and Don tried to keep the smile off his face.

 

“It’s Splinter, I’ll be right back,” Leatherhead said as he left the room. Donnie was happy to finally have the other presence gone.

 

“Why?” He groaned quietly to himself as he leaned into his legs. He wanted nothing more than to be left alone and the gator was coming back, Splinter never talked on the phone long.

 

Sure enough, Leatherhead was back after four minutes. “What did he want?” Don asked though he was sure he already knew the answer.

 

“He was calling to check on you. You kind of scared us this morning.” Leatherhead said as he walked closer to the bed. Donnie inwardly groaned.

 

Leatherhead was very cuddly, normally Don liked it too, but he was in no mood to be touched, little own cuddled. Leatherhead didn’t touch him, however, instead of putting his hands on the bed on either side of Don’s body.

 

“I think it best if we just went home. What do you think?” Leatherhead smiled. Donnie nodded and Leatherhead assisted him off the bed.

 

The ride home was as silent as the ride there. Donnie had the heater on but turned down. When they got home Donnie made a beeline for his lab. He moved to unlock the door, it was already unlocked. He pushed the door open and saw his lab was cleaner than when he left.

 

Mikey, Raph, and Leo all sat on the of the, now clean, army cots. “You three did this?” He couldn’t believe it. They were about as clean as a baby pig, but they made the lab really look nice.

 

“Yeah, four tubs of bleach and a lot of air freshener later the lab looks pretty good,” Mikey said and laughed.

 

“How ya feelin’ Donnie-boy?” Raph asked and Don shrugged. “Fine, I guess.” Donnie didn't know if Leatherhead told Splinter about the tumor or not, but if he had, then Splinter told everyone else too.

 

“Splinter told us about the tumor,” Leo said, his words dripping with, what Don took as, pity.

 

“Yeah and?” Donnie snapped and moved to his desk. He didn't want their pity, he wanted to be left alone. The brothers looked to Leatherhead for the reason to Don’s mood. He didn't have any, however, instead, he shrugged.

 

The brothers left the lab, hoping Donnie would come out later. Leatherhead left with them, giving his mate space.

 

Donnie watched as they walked out, he was finally alone. He turned on his computer and instantly turned it off. The screen was too much, the lights around him were too bright, and the hum of the monitors was too loud.

 

He shut down the monitors, turned off the lights and sat on the cool concrete floor behind his desk with his knees drawn to his chest. He closed his eyes. This was better, what he wanted at the office had come to pass, he was completely alone.

 


End file.
